Sonoma County winery Aperture Cellars and United Airlines recently announced Air and Vine, a custom Cabernet Sauvignon blend created at a cruising altitude of 35,000 feet.
The project builds on Aperture and United’s existing relationship as part of a three-year partnership to bring a new signature Aperture wine to United Polaris business class each year.
Rather than making a wine on the ground and later considering how it might perform in flight, Jesse Katz, founder and first-generation winemaker of Aperture Cellars, brought the final act of winemaking on board a United flight from New York to San Francisco. He tasted the individual components and determined the wine’s final composition at 35,000 feet, allowing the sensory realities of flight to influence the blend itself. In doing so, the aircraft cabin becomes more than the setting for the final glass; it becomes an extension of the winery and part of the winemaking process itself.
“Winemaking has always been about understanding place, but with Air and Vine we had an opportunity to expand what ‘place’ could mean,” Katz said. “We know that wine presents differently in air, so rather than treating altitude as something we needed to overcome, we made it part of the creative process. We brought the final blending decisions to 35,000 feet and built the wine around the exact environment in which it will one day be enjoyed. It’s a completely new way of thinking about winemaking, and, I hope, about how deeply considered the travel experience can become.”
“Creating memorable travel experiences often comes down to the details, and this collaboration with Jesse and Aperture is a perfect example of that,” said Aaron McMillan, marketing director for hospitality programs at United Airlines. “By creating a wine at 35,000 feet, in the very environment where it will be served, we’re bringing a truly distinctive experience to United Polaris travelers, and we can’t wait for them to enjoy it on board.”
The final composition reflects the balance of five Bordeaux varietals, brought together through a blending process conducted at 35,000 feet:
- 76% Cabernet Sauvignon
- 12% Malbec
- 6% Merlot
- 4% Petit Verdot
- 2% Cabernet Franc
Advertisement
The 2024 vintage was aged for 24 months in barrel, including 40% new French oak, before its final blend was composed at altitude.
— Story contributed by Aperture Cellars